Flickers of Hope
by Fluttering Phalanges
Summary: Rue and Thresh's train ride from District 11 to the Capitol after being reaped. *ONE SHOT*


**So, I had this idea for this short story after writing my one shot about the two Avoxes (if you like my writing style, please do check it out. I would mean the world to me). Anyway, as I am at the moment having a bit of writer's block when it comes to my larger stories, I decided to do a few short ones to see if any ideas spark. Anyway, this is a Rue/Thresh story. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did writing it.**

I had never been one to voice my opinions. There was no reason to in District Eleven. Anything that could possibly be construed as a threat or simply a snide comment towards the Capitol, the Peacekeepers made sure the speaker of those words was brutally punished. I had seen it happen before. My parents. Firm believers of what was once called independence. It was rumored that Panem had been a place of liberty, of freedom, long ago before the rebellion. A place once called the United States of America. We never fully discussed what once was when I attended school. I guess the Capitol worried that it would spark ideas of rebellion once more.

If I did speak my mind, I would voice my negative opinions about the Hunger Games. How did they, the Capitol, find the deaths of children so entertaining? Did they not realize the pain and suffering it caused the families of those who were taken in the arena? Their lives shattered into a million pieces that could never be reconstructed? Or perhaps the Capitol had brainwashed their people into nothingness. It would surprise me not.

"Thresh Messis is it?" It is the voice of Desmonda, the escort for my district that makes me snap from my thoughts. I look to find her eyes fixed upon me, the thick silver eyelashes she has glued on bat impatiently as she waits for me to respond.

I simply nod. I feel she does not deserve an oral response. After all, she might as well be escorting us to our deaths personally. Why should I bother with manners if I do not have one ounce of respect towards her?

"Lovely name," She smiles as she lifts up a teacup decorated with various tiny flowers of blues and purples. "I could have sworn I saw you standing out in the audience even before I drew your name. You are very tall for a boy your age." She bats her eyelashes once more as she brings the cup to her lips, the steam from the tea seeming to roll from her lips.

"He's one of the tallest boys from our district." A new voice fills my ears as I turn to see Rue, the small girl who I have since a few times as I've passed through the orchids on my way to the fields, smiling at me. "And he's very strong too. My father says that he can carry triple the load of wheat everyone else can."

"Well, I know Chaff will be glad to hear that. He is after all," Desmonda sets down her tea as she looks from Rue to me. "Your mentor." A slight frown appears on her lips. "I do hope he plans on arriving soon. Probably in the bar car. My dear friend, Effie—you've seen her on television right? District twelve's escort? Well, we both have had to have a few words with both twelve and your district's mentors. Apparently, Chaff and Haymitch are what they call "drinking buddies"." She bends her fingers into quotations as she says those words. "Anywho," She smiles once more as she stands up. "I might as well go locate him before he becomes too intoxicated." She gives us both a nod. "Please, feel free to indulge yourselves in the various appetizers." She waves a hand towards the many dishes on the table that sit before us. "I know you two must be starving. I shall return shortly, hopefully accompanied by your mentor." On that note, she flutters—I'm not sure how else to put her movements, off.

"She's funny isn't she?" Rue lifts a red and white stick of what appears to be candy from a crystal jar. "Almost child-like." She sucks on the end of her candy and smiles. "Mm…tastes like the mint leaves we grow in the fields."

I nod not feeling much one for words at that moment. Unlike my feelings towards Desmonda, I hold no contempt towards Rue. Instead, I too lift a candy from the jar and begin to suck, gaining an excuse to stay quiet.

"I've never seen so much food before," Rue breathes as her eyes scan the table. "I bet this would feed my family for a good two weeks, maybe even a month." I wonder how she could seem so calm, so nonchalant about this situation. Maybe it was her way of clearing her mind, of focusing on something other than the impending doom.

My stick of candy is a mere stub of what it once was as Rue reaches for another one. Maybe it was the movement of the train or just the lighting, but I could swear Rue's hand was trembling as she lifts this time, a green and white stick to her lips. Should I say something? But what was there to say really? Nothing was going to change what was to happen within the next few weeks.

"The sun's going down." Rue's voice has gone soft. "Right now I'd be up in the trees whistling to let everyone know the work day was over." I find myself no longer sucking on my candy, but crunching it with my back teeth. Rue's chest rises as she inhales deeply and I wonder if she's trying to hold back tears. "Mockingjays sing so beautifully. I feel sorry the Capitol citizens don't get to hear it like we do."

Home. My sister, Pomme. My grandmother. Would I ever get to see them again? Then there was little Rue. What about her and her family? Surely they felt deep inside she wouldn't be returning. As cruel and sickly as it was to think it, I felt the same way. What hope did she—or even I for that matter have against the Careers?

"Can I tell you a secret, Thresh?" I look to see Rue's eyes focused on me. I give her a nod, not able to find my voice at this time. It's gone away along with any happiness I may have previously felt before the reaping. "I'm terrified."

I was not expecting that. Of all the things I thought she might have said to me, that was not at the top of my list. I meet her gaze as I find myself inhaling deeply.

"Of course you are," Those are the first words to escape from my lips. "I am too." And that's when I felt her arms around me. My eyes widen in shock as I look down to see her face pressed against my chest. Never had I been in a situation like this before. I was not prepared as to how I should react to this. So, I decide on lightly patting her back. After all, I remember my grandmother doing that to me when I was young.

"I miss them, Thresh. I—I know we haven't been gone that long, but I…" her voice trails off and instead is replaced by the soft sound of sniffling. I gnaw nervously on my bottom lip as I try to think of what to say next.

"I miss my family too." I say as I watch her closely, my hand resting between her shoulder blades. "But, I bet they are all at home rooting for us." I force a smile on my face when I see her look up at me, her eyelashes glistening like dew on grass blades from her tears. "We are from one of the hardest working districts in all of Panem. I doubt many of the tributes are as skilled as we are. I've seen you in high in those apple trees. I haven't met anyone who can climb as high as you." She smiles softly as I continue. "Just have hope, Rue. When everything else is gone, that's all you need. Hope."

It was—to me at least, silly advice. But it was all I could think of at the moment. I see Rue smiling brightly at me and I find myself thinking of home once more. The fields where the sun always seems to be shining. The smell of the thick porridge we have for dinner every Sunday as a treat. Maybe my words have given her some strength...maybe they've just weakened me.

"Hope." She repeats, I see her hand resting over where my heart is. "Thanks, Thresh." I nod.

Once more I am silent. But, I think she understands why. She steps back and takes her seat just as Desmonda walks in with a stumbling Chaff. His eyes flash from me to Rue as he trudges towards us, bottle swinging lazily in his hand. He grunts something inaudible before taking a swig. My eyes glance over at Rue who seems to have fallen silent, the stick of candy she once was nibbling on sits cast aside on her plate.

"So," Chaff slurs, his eyelids drooping. "You must be Thresh and Rue, my new excuses to have this." He shakes the bottle of liquor at us before collapsing.

Rue blinks in surprise as I find myself standing straight up. No more of this. I don't need any of this right now. I ignore Desmonda's questions as to where I'm going as I step over the unconscious body of Chaff and make my way to my room. At least there I could be alone. No Chaff and his bottle. No Desmonda and her obnoxious eyelashes. Just peace of mind.

"Thresh."

A softer voice fills my ears as, without even thinking first, I turn to see Rue standing but a few feet from me. Her hands rest at her sides as she looks towards me with a smile that I cannot figure out what exactly it defines. I watch as her chest rises once more and I prepare myself for what she's about to say.

"Desmonda says we'll be arriving to the Capitol shortly."

I frown at her words. That was the last place I wanted to be right now. But, I nod as a sign of acknowledgement before turning back towards my room.

"Hey Thresh."

I take a deep breath as I turn to face her. What else had she to say? Couldn't she see I just wanted to be alone? I watch her as she gives me an almost sorrowful smile.

"Remember what you said," She says softly. "There is always hope."

She turns and I stand still as she walks back towards the dining car swearing to myself that she is humming the four notes of the tune she uses to alert the others the work day is done. I wish I had known Rue better before the reaping. I pity her, the innocent girl who walked so bravely to the gates of hell believing in the words I had so cruelly preached to her about hope when I myself felt nothing but hopelessness.

But Rue. Her tune. Her words to me. I stand there thinking, the Capitol lights sparkling in the distance. And for a split second, I think that maybe, maybe not all is lost. Maybe, by some stroke of luck, it'll all work out. Maybe there really was hope and all I need was that little spark from Rue to ignite my flame.

And then the train stops.

And I hear the cheers from the outside of the citizens who crave our brutal fighting.

And my spark dies.

For in the Hunger Games, there really is no hope. Not for the tributes or even for the victors.

Only realization.

** I know Rue may have seemed a little more talkative in here than in the books but I wanted her and Thresh to-in a way-comfort one another. Messiss means harvest in latin which is why I gave it to Thresh as a last name. I named Thresh's sister Pomme because that means apple in french and it seems people tend to name their children after things in their districts. And Desmonda, I got her name from one of the women in Shakespeare's plays because SC got a lot of her character names from his works. Anyway, sorry for any typos and what not. Please review! I would love to know what you thought of this. And, if you liked it, please check out my other one shot for Hunger Games and the two Hunger Games stories I'm working on at the moment. Thanks so much for reading!-Jen**


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